The Thoughtful Pastorate: Resources to Strengthen Ministry and Christian Life, Pt. 2

The resources I shared yesterday were mostly blogs. They're all free, and they will, if you check them regularly, keep you very much up to speed on the basic thought trends and events of evangelicalism. Even if you don't have time to scan them every day, taking an hour or two each week to scan the listed blogs will help a great deal to keep you aware of challenges to the faith and positive developments.

Here are some other miscellaneous resources that you could check if you have a little extra time beyond the five cornerstone outlets. These are sites to visit on, perhaps, a bi-weekly basis.

1. The Kairos Journal. As a pastor, you have to sign up for this and have someone recommend you for the site. It's geared for pastors who want to think in a Christian way about culture. It's a great preaching resource. The "Daily News" feature compiles important news stories from around the world.
2. The Al Mohler Radio Show link list is a compendium of top news stories and feature pieces from the leading print media. It's a fantastic resource that you should have to pay for, but don't. Subscribe to it by email and it will be delivered daily. Separate from Dr. Mohler's writing.
3. Time or Newsweek. Both of these popular print magazines have their biases, but they do a pretty good job of capturing the latest cultural trends. If you don't want to subscribe to the print versions, you could always scan their websites for the latest headlines. That would be helpful.
4. World Magazine is a solid counterpart to the secular print magazines. It provides Christian perspectives on current events and key trends. I enjoy and benefit from World and find its subscription price worth it.
5. National Review is also a current events-and-trends print magazine, but it's explicitly conservative, often helpful, and sometimes quite funny.

No one wants to pay for news anymore, but if you have a little extra in your church budget, pay for a few of the above magazines. You can of course visit the websites of these outlets, but I personally think it's worth supporting a magazine that you find helpful if you can. It ensures that you'll keep getting what you want: the news. Most magazines don't cost much, either. With that said, it may not be worth getting many magazines due to cost and time concerns.

More resources tomorrow, the final day of this series. Hope it's helpful--please share any useful ones I'm missing in the comments.

The Thoughtful Pastorate: Resources to Strengthen Ministry and Christian Life, Pt. 1

Once in a while, someone asks me what I would recommend for pastors who want to stay up on cultural happenings and thought trends. I in no way claim to have some kind of mystic insight into what pastors should read for cultural knowledge, but I do have a few quick thoughts that could possibly be of help to the pastor (and the layperson) who wants to stay up on a Christian perspective of what's happening in American life and thought. I have structured this list with the busy pastor in mind, the kind who only has a few minutes to keep current but who nonetheless is (admirably) committed to doing so.

Without further ado, here are a few resources I would personally commend (in no particular order):

1. Collin Hansen's online bi-weekly Christianity Today column. "Theology in the News" is a very perceptive, contemporarily engaged column.
2. Justin Taylor's blog, Between Two Worlds. This is the bulletin board for reformed evangelicalism (and maybe just evangelicalism).
3. Tim Challies's blog, which offers lots of helpful book reviews and links. The reviews are often very current, which is nice for those who want to know what's big in the Christian publishing world.
4. Al Mohler's blog, which is the premier analytical evangelical thought resource. With book reviews, radio shows, links to important sources, and much more. One-stop shop for thoughtful Christianity, and the best place to begin worldview thinking on the Web.
5. The Reformation 21 blog. It's got a Presbyterian slant and boasts some of the most pungent evangelical writers out there, including Carl Trueman of Westminster Seminary.

This is just a start. I'll have more in the next few days, with the hope that I can help pastors and laypeople to think well about life, faith, and the world in the brief amounts of time that come to us all.

Southern Baptists and Hip Hop: No, I'm Not Making This Up

Just go here and see what I'm talking about. Russ Moore, dean of the 4400-student Southern Baptist Theological Seminary, the flagship Southern Baptist seminary, interviews the Christian rapper Flame while guest-hosting the Albert Mohler radio program. For those of you who know little about either of these worlds, let me be your trusty guide and say that they do not often intersect--especially on a nationally syndicated radio program with thousands of daily listeners!

The conversation is fun and informative. Flame shares a good deal of his background, including the tidbit that he was once a "gangsta" rapper (think the sort of stuff that celebrates extreme violence and that sort of thing). Now, however, Flame raps about such diverse topics as hermeneutics and the Trinity. His stuff is not lightweight--trust me on that one. If you have a nice little stereotype fashioned in your mind about hip-hop, check out his music, and see if isn't challenged.

The interview raises the issue of Christians and their identification with secular music. Flame points out that many rappers, though fallen, accurately portray the realities of life in hard places, namely, the inner city. It struck me as I listened to this conversation that there is a real need for Christian art that doesn't simply speak the gospel in familiar musical forms. We need artists who produce music--and all kinds of art--that honestly depicts life in a fallen world, such that non-Christians naturally connect with our music (as much as this is possible, of course--I have no triumphalist social intentions).

How does the fall affect the world? What does brokenness look like in various places? I'm not just asking for "testimony" songs ("I was blind in these ways," and that sort of thing), but excellent storytelling and realistic exploration of themes of a fallen creation. Furthermore, we need stories that don't skip to the answer--the gospel--and leave things there, but that celebrate in majestic songship the reality of life with Christ. I'm thankful that Flame (and others) have begun to make headway in these areas. Here's hoping for many more artists like him, and much broader acceptance within the evangelical community of beautiful, honest, God-glorifying (though not necessarily stereotype-conforming) art.

The Week-est Link, May 9, 2008: The Dark Knight, a Theology of Rap, and More

1. Westminster professor Bill Edgar gave a lecture on the theology of rap music a few years back. My friend Andy Naselli tipped me to the lecture, and I think that you will find it positively engrossing and illuminating. Dr. Edgar, simply put, is one of the neatest theologians out there--he tackles topics that other theologians won't touch, and he does so with generosity, clarity, and a bit of appreciation that makes him really interesting to listen to. I've learned a good deal from him, and I think you'll enjoy his material.

2. The preview for the upcoming Batman movie, 'The Dark Knight," is out. This movie looks incredibly dark and cool and enjoyable. Pardon the language on the webpage where the link is found--I don't endorse it, but I do endorse the watching of really cool Batman movies...

3. CJ Mahaney has been publishing helpful words on women and modesty on the Sovereign Grace blog. Read his words--he has some of the most helpful, practical counsel you'll find on matters like this, and he anchors it in stout theology. This is an incredibly thorny issue nowadays, what with the proliferation of tight women's clothing and plunging necklines, and CJ wants to help. Let him.

4. Have you heard about the New Attitude conference? It sounds tremendous. It's evolved into a mini-Together for the Gospel deal. If you're single or a young married couple, truck over to Louisville in a few weeks for the conference, and be prepared to come away knowing a great deal more about how to live a holy life in a darkened world. Speakers include Josh Harris, Mark Dever, John Piper, and Al Mohler.

Have a grace-filled weekend.

How Long Will it Be Until Parents Force Children to Undergo Plastic Surgery?

You may have heard of the recent hubbub surrounding the release of a new children's book that is intended to help the offspring of those who have had plastic surgery cope with the surgery's transformative effect on their parents. Written by a plastic surgeon, My Beautiful Mommy represents an interesting first in the plastic surgery world--it introduces the process to children.

Which got me wondering--how long until parents subject their children to plastic surgery? We already know that many parents subject their embryos to genetic screening in order that they might avoid having to parent a disabled child (see Dr. Al Mohler for more on this). We also know that many parents subject their children to relentless pressure to fit in and exceed throughout their young lives. See Alexandra Robbins's recent The Overachievers for some background on this phenomenon. In addition, modern America is obsessed with physical beauty. Alex Kucynzki's Beauty Junkies makes just this point. One wonders, then, when these cultural trends will coalesce into a perfect storm and form an impetus for parents to pay for plastic surgery to correct the imperfect features of their children? How far away can such destructively narcissistic practices be?

The line to be crossed here is the direct exhortation of parents to their children to have plastic surgery for supposed defections. Currently, plastic surgery forms a popular and expensive graduation gift for teenage girls in wealthy areas of America. Yet we not our language carefully here--this surgery is not an order but a gift. The comments made by one mother in a story two years old about plastic surgery among teens confirmed my worst fears--parents are increasingly encouraging and exhorting their children to undergo plastic surgery. See this:

Take the case of Katie Underdown of Georgia. Last year, the 17-year-old had a nose job and a chin implant by the same surgeon who did multiple surgeries on her mother, Jan, and several of her mom's friends. Although the teen had a deviated septum, a medical condition that makes it harder to breath, she initially balked at surgery. Her mother urged her on, though.

"I told her, 'It doesn't bother you right now but it may later. Let's just get it fixed.' I had a great surgeon, I was able to pay for it and nurse her back," explains Jan Underdown. "Katie had a recessed chin like me and I said, 'Put the chin implant in.' She did it. It turned out great. I think of it like her braces. You fix what you know is an issue and then you go on and live your life."

Did you catch the verbal nuance here? "Let's just get it fixed." That's what Jan Underdown said to her daughter, a seventeen year-old girl. One can understand surgery for a nasal condition, but the mother in the case also urged her to daughter to get a "chin implant," whatever that is. I'm guessing that we're going to see many more such cases of parental pressure on topics like this. I live in an incredibly posh town in Illinois, and I constantly see middle-aged women attempting to look like teenagers, dressing in the same clothes, bleaching their hair the same color, adopting the same "haughty cool" attitude that one expects to find in teenagers. For these women, beauty is not merely a virtue, it's an obsession. As many of these women turn to cosmetic surgery to keep up in the race to stay young as long as possible, how many of them will encourage their impressionable daughters to do the same? In a society that increasingly turns its back on things that really matter, on traditional principles and virtues, how hard will it really be for parents to push their bucktoothed daughter or large-nosed child to go under the knife in order to look "right"? I don't have any statistics, and I haven't seen any stories on this, but I would cautiously and nervously predict that it will not be long before narcissism, parental pressure, and the beauty culture collide and form a society in which regular children are pressured to be surgically transformed into something they are not.

Some might say that this is nothing new, that beauty has always been an issue for kids and that little will change in this regard. I would respond that this is true, but in our age, we have the means to change our appearances, an ability that prior generations did not. As plastic surgery becomes increasingly inexpensive, and as the culture continues to slide away from a biblical definition of life and of beauty, it only makes sense that parents would desire to correct and shape their children to be that which they believe to be truly important. Our media-saturated culture, after all, drives such an obsession with physical appearance. When your average person watches multiple hours of television and films each week, and takes in the appearance-frenzied environment that television puts forth (the medium is the message, in this case), this person cannot help but end up appearance-crazy. The result, I would predict, will be that those with money will increasingly turn to perfect not simply themselves but their children. Children do, after all, reflect their parents. Whatever their parents prize, then, children will come to look like in a most literal way.

If all this is true, what can Christians do in today's appearance-obsessed culture? Christian parents can teach their children what really matters, and avoid forming a conception of identity in their children that centers around looks. Parents can consciously work against a culture that is obsessed with appearance by themselves avoiding vanity and concentration on physical beauty. Parents should, in my opinion, be very careful about complimenting their children based on beauty and in explicitly delineating amongst attractive and unattractive children. Beyond this, each Christian person in a decadent culture should consider what they can do on a personal level to resist sinful focus on their appearance. We can't singlehandedly turn back the tide of our world, but we can all resist its influence and claim kingdom ground in the war against it. Most importantly, by exalting the gospel in our homes, our churches, and our daily lives, we can teach ourselves and those around us what truly matters and show a watching world that in Christ, we have found true beauty. It is not first and foremost physical attractiveness, but is self-sacrificial love such that the guilty go free and the sinfully ugly become pure. This is beauty. Even as those around us sacrifice their children on an altar of obsession, we can work to train them in believing the message that alone can liberate us, that alone can make us beautiful in the eyes of the only One who matters--God.

Real-Life Sanctification: How Much Television Should a Christian Watch?

I actually figured this one out the other day. Turns out the correct amount rounds out to about eight hours a week.

Just thought that you might want to know.

And with that, I bring this bad joke to a close, even as I ask this question in a serious manner: how much tv should we watch as believers? It strikes me that this question ties in with our sanctification more than some of us might think. Sometimes we talk a good deal about sanctification--our progressive, life-long, Spirit-given growth in godliness as redeemed believers--but fail to put any feet on it. We forget to go the next step and ask, what does it actually look like to be sanctified in our contemporary age? In a culture that gravitates to certain sins and patterns of behavior, what does it look like to live a transformed life per Romans 12? We ought not to think that we can talk a great deal about sanctification without clear practical application. That's like talking a great deal about the importance of political engagement but never actually doing anything to enact that love. We would say that such a person is full of hot air--always possessing an opinion, yet never coupling that opinion with action. Many of us, however, can fall prey to just such a lifestyle.

In asking questions like this, then, we're not trying to get pinned down on tiny little matters that have no tie to our faith. No, we're trying to carry out Romans twelve in a very meaningful way and ask ourselves, what does it look like to be an American Christian? I appreciate this about my former boss, Dr. Al Mohler. He teaches about sanctification as a systematic theologian, but he then seeks to discern the particular challenges of contemporary culture to the sanctification of the individual Christian. I want to do the same, and I want to encourage others to do the same. Toward that end, many Americans watch a ton of television. Here's a quotation on the absolutely stunning amount of tv your average American watches (source):

"Figures from Nielsen Media Research show the average US household consuming eight hours and 14 minutes of TV per day; with the average individual American watching four hours and 35 minutes a day."

Wow.

This is an obviously unhealthy amount of television viewing. I'm not even going to attempt to ground that claim. I don't need to. And yet we have to wonder how many Christians fit this "average" profile. I'm guessing, sadly, that many do. Beyond this, I'm guessing that many healthy, reformed, book-reading, intentionally holy Christians do as well. Why is it harmful to watch so much tv? Well, it's wasteful. One ends up lolling in front of a constantly blinking set with very little to show for it in the end. Of course, we all need some relaxation time, some period of the day when we rest our minds and allow ourselves to kick back. But we should not make the apparently national mistake of thinking that "relax" equals "television". It does not. Furthermore, there are so very many more healthy and helpful things we can do than to watch massive amounts of television. We can pray with our spouses or friends; we can read a good book together (yes, normal people actually do this!); we can go on a walk; we can go visit a person in need; we can call an unmarried friend who is in need of encouragement; we can check up on family members by a quick telephone call; we can write a blog post of endless length and little actual readership (just checking that you're reading). In these and so many other ways, we can avoid letting television do its voodoo work of mental hypnosis and physical paralysis.

Television is not nearly as neutral as many of us "engaging culture" types think it is. Bethany and I don't watch much of it, but our limited viewings of The Office definitely influence us. We repeat funny lines to one another, wonder out loud about whether Jim and Pam will ultimately marry, and laugh about Michael's antics. Though these acts are not inherently bad, necessarily, they show us that even in our very limited viewing, we are being impacted by our subject material. Many of my "engaging culture" friends have not caught on to the fact that though they, like me at times, think that they are impervious to all cultural influence on their faith, they in fact are not, as inarguably demonstrated by their use of a style of humor that one learns from shows like The Office, Saturday Night Live, and 30 Rock. Do you really think that your ironic comebacks and affected coolness come only from your own comedic preferences? No, just like me and everyone else, you've been influenced to joke in that way by culture. It's not neutral, and neither is your approach to it.

In watching lots of tv, then, we'll be shaped by it in profound ways. Unless you're watching John MacArthur shows on loop on TBN, that's not a good thing, broadly speaking. Am I arguing here for legalism, for some prune-like, sour-mouthed Christianity? I don't think that I am. I'm merely trying to point out that we have a limited amount of time in the day, and what we take in during that limited time will shape us. It should not surprise us at all when we are less spiritually hungry and fruitful in seasons when we're consuming (and being consumed by) popular media. It only makes sense that this happen. If we want spiritual health and vitality, we're going to have to force ourselves to fight for holiness and to discipline ourselves for the purpose of attaining spiritual health. Christians who do so are most often the ones who, when cancer or financial difficulty or spousal sin or lay-offs or rejection letters or broken friendships hit, are most able to maintain a strong faith and even radiate joy in the midst of their trials. When you've been working through a good Puritan paperback, or listening to Mahaney sermons, or volunteering at your local crisis pregnancy center, you're going to be healthier than the person who has taken in lots of television, film, and music. It only makes sense.

Let's wrap this up with a personal word. My wife and I are working hard at this. At night, when we're both tired, it comes fairly naturally to put the tube and put our feet up. It's easy, it's fun, and it makes sense. While we've both realized that there are definitely times in the week when it is fine (and even good!) to do so, we can also both see that a steady diet of tv or movies dulls us spiritually and hinders us from doing really important spiritual things that will mature and grow us both personally and as a couple. We've recently drawn up a weekly schedule (shades of legalism--flee!) that will give us a basic form for the week. On a number of nights, we'll do lots of different things--have company, pray together for an extended time for the salvation of family (or the defeat of institutional abortion, the welfare of orphans abroad, the coming of God's kingdom), go on a walk, read a book on parenting--and on other nights, we'll watch something, often just a few shows of something we like, like The Office. In this way, we hope to avoid legalism and self-righteousness on the one hand and undisciplined media gluttony and spiritual torpor on the other.

We haven't necessarily solved this question, and we don't claim to have the perfect answer, and having a child is going to change everything, and we'll probably fluctuate in our actual practice of this plan, but we are resolved to use the limited time we have in this life well, and to grow in holiness. Eight hours a week may work, or it may not, but whatever the perfect answer is to the question posed in the blog's title, we are hopeful that we and many others can rebel against the culture and engage with God in real-life sanctification that defeats the whispers of the evil one ("just relax, you don't need to be all spiritual") and that in fact transforms us even as we pursue it.

Dispatches from T4G: Day Three--Sacrifice and Sayonara

Today's very quick thoughts:

1. One of the hardest things about T4G is the fact that many friends from the past are around. We're talking the type who you never see. This makes it really hard to know what to do in organizing one's schedule. Do you listen to the speaker who's got great things to say or catch up with a long-lost friend for mutual edification? Tough call.

2. John Piper gave a typically stirring talk on the biblical imperative of Christian sacrifice for the sake of God's glory. I found most moving, perhaps, his comments afterwards on how fathers must sacrifice their interests for the betterment of their families. I recommend you find the panel discussion (when it's available) following Piper's talk and listen to the whole thing.

3. Dr. Al Mohler hosted his fellow conference organizers on his radio show today. Dever, Duncan and Mahaney came in for a fun and helpful discussion that will prove helpful to those wondering what on earth I've been talking about the last three days. Give it a listen.

4. To all friends of the past seen at the conference: it was a treasure to be with you. To all friends made at the conference: it was a joy to meet you. To all who hunger for a much fuller fellowship, a fellowship that will include not simply the reformed and conservative but the international, trans-denominational, trans-labels body of Christ united by faith in His death and resurrection: it will be simply unspeakable to taste in full what this conference gave us in a very small part.

See you in 2010.

Dispatches from T4G: Day One--Band of Bloggers and Our Own Pastor-Comedian

I'm writing this at an extremely advanced hour and am nearing my crash point. However, the T4G conference has been so encouraging, so moving, that it's hard not to be energized in body by the refreshment of spirit I've received.

There's much to say, but I'll just give you a numbered list of interesting moments and thoughts from the first day of the conference.

1. It is good fun to watch Mark Dever lead a crowd of people. He's this odd combination of brainy nerve, jovial demeanor, heartfelt piety, contrarian pique, and happy emcee. He manages to move you and make you laugh within the same minute. Even from afar, one can see that he is a naturally gifted leader. Some people just have it.

2. C. J. Mahaney could have been a world-famous comedian. He is able to bring out the humor from even the driest of crowds and speakers. When you're pals with John Piper, John MacArthur and Ligon Duncan, this is a decided benefit, at least to those watching you be pals with the aforementioned men (as the T4G audience does during the panel discussions). C. J. is downright hilarious. I love watching him go after people. He's a decided blend of gentle mockery and outright mockery. The balance is fun to observe.

3. The Band of Bloggers event put on by Timmy Brister was a smash. Despite being a UPS worker and a full-time student, Timmy engineered a terrific mini-conference on Christian blogging. I am repeatedly impressed by Timmy's drive and ability to take on heavy responsibility and succeed, and this event was no exception. If you are not familiar with Band of Bloggers, check out the website. In coming days, there will be an opportunity for bloggers to join a Christian blogging community, which is great for connection to others, exposure, and the like. Check the website in the next several weeks for more information.

4. Great talks today by Ligon Duncan on systematic theology and Thabiti Anyabwile on racial identity. I'm sure you'll be hearing a good deal about them on other blogs. Tomorrow we'll be hearing from John MacArthur, R. C. Sproul, Al Mohler, and Mark Dever. It's a tough life here at the T4G conference.

See you tomorrow for another late-night posting.

T4G Week at Consumed: Coming Up, Dispatches from the Conference

I'm heading off to sunny Louisville, KY with my wife and a friend. I have very little time to blog (none, actually), so I'm writing to let you know to check back in throughout the week. I'll be writing about the Together for the Gospel conference and reflecting on the various talks that will be given by men like Piper, Mahaney, Dever and Mohler.

This is the closest thing to an "on-the-road" feature you're going to get at consumed. Be sure to check in and find out what's going on at a conference that seeks to exalt the gospel and to build a sense of organic evangelical unity around it. Here's the blurb about the conference from the 2006 Statement of Faith--it's a great starting point:

"We are brothers in Christ united in one great cause – to stand together for the Gospel. We are convinced that the Gospel of Jesus Christ has been misrepresented, misunderstood, and marginalized in many churches and among many who claim the name of Christ. Compromise of the Gospel has led to the preaching of false gospels, the seduction of many minds and movements, and the weakening of the church’s Gospel witness."

See you throughout the week!

The Week-est Link, March 14, 2008: 9 Crimes, and the Sound of Falling Slowly

1. Earlier this week, I wrote about the movie Once. Here's the movie's key song, "Falling Slowly". Tell me it's not a great song. It's especially exhilarating to see the song performed in the movie. It's all make-believe, of course, but in the movie, the key actors compose it together in a music store. It's funny, and it's quite believable, and the song is beautiful. I like the quieter part, the man's low voice, and the piano. Give it a listen and tell me what you think of it.

2. I've been excited to give you this link to the Damien Rice song "9 Crimes". I don't exactly understand the video or the song, but I do know that I am haunted by it, and find it powerful. It mirrors "Falling Slowly" in that it uses undoctored harmony between male and female voices to create evocative music.

3. Interesting Al Mohler article on the effect of television sets in children's bedrooms. Shocking conclusion made by no less than the NY Times: they're harmful to kids. Common sense has its day, for about the millionth time. (HT: Justin Taylor)

4. What place does biblical counseling have in the local church? Here's a helpful conversation between the aforementioned Dr. Mohler and pastor Lance Quinn of Little Rock, AR.

5. Great video provided by Vitamin Z on a conversational pause so awkward it's almost historic. Absolutely hilarious. One of the funniest 30-second doses of humor I've heard in a very long time. Those of you who like the excruciating, hilarious awkwardness of "The Office", you'll love this one.

Have a great weekend, all.

Thinking Theologically: Al Mohler's "Culture Shift"

First thing--thanks to the two commenters who broke my comment-less streak yesterday. Phew.

Second thing--I am woefully behind in telling my loyal readership about an important new book by my former boss, Dr. Albert Mohler. Dr. Mohler has just published the book Culture Shift, a collection of essays on a variety of subjects related to the condition of modern culture and the recovery of a biblical worldview in the midst of our paganized times. I have read almost all of these essays, and many, many more of Dr. Mohler's writings, and I can testify that he is without exception the most helpful Christian thinker out there today on matters of Christian cultural engagement. There's no exception to this statement; Dr. Mohler is the best worldview writer today. I am very excited at the prospect of more Mohler writings. As one who worked for him, I would encourage people to pray for Dr. Mohler that he'll be able to put his many and deep thoughts to paper. He is a taxed man, perhaps the most busy man I've ever seen (though he also simply cannot refuse a request to think and write, a problematic but understandable tendency), and it would be a great service to the church to have more of Dr. Mohler's thoughts in print.

I've written about him before, and I won't go into any length here, but I want to encourage you to buy this book. You'll benefit from it and learn to think theologically as you read it. It's not expensive, and it won't take you long to read, and the essays are each fairly short. As you read the book, you'll also meet some of the man. That's a good thing. I miss Dr. Mohler, and probably always will, but I'm thankful that you and I have the opportunity from a godly, gifted, culturally attuned man like him.

Here are some resources related to the book:

• Interview with Dr. Mohler about the book
• Review by Tim Challies, a thoughtful blogger
• Price: $10.19; Hardcover: 176 pages

Go over to Amazon, order up a copy of Culture Shift, and prepare to be trained in theological thinking by one of the masters.

Last Day in the Office: Reflections on Working for Dr. Mohler

For the last three and a half years, I have worked on campus at Southern Seminary in Louisville, KY. For the last two and a half years, I have worked in the President's Office, and a year and a half of that time has been devoted to research for an upcoming book on Christian manhood. Today is my last day in the office. It has been a privilege to work for Dr. Al Mohler. My day in and day out work involved lots of reading, compiling of outlines and quotations, and attending the radio show. I have thoroughly enjoyed the experience, and I have learned a great deal from him. I have not written much about my experience on my blog, as I have not wanted to appear (or be) proud, and I have not wished to be seen as obsequious or slavish, two traits I personally abhor. Now that I am leaving Louisville, however, it is appropriate to speak publicly about Dr. Mohler in an effort to share what I have learned from him and to honor him as a mentor in the faith.

Dr. Mohler has taught me the importance of thinking theologically about all of life. Carrying on in the vein of men like Francis Schaeffer and Carl Henry, Dr. Mohler thinks theologically about everything. There is nothing that I know of that he does not view through his theological lenses. He even talks about his dog in theological terms. I've heard him recount on a number of times his thoughts on "Baxter the beagle," and each time he illustrates the uniqueness of humanity in comparison to animals (though he never fails to state his love for his dog). Dr. Mohler has, fundamentally, a curiosity about anything and everything. He reads and researches tirelessly and thus is equipped to instruct on a great many topics of interest. In working under him, I have acquired a similar drive to learn and to think in biblical terms about everything. Too many of us see spiritual things in spiritual terms and everything else in earthly terms. Dr. Mohler has taught me to think of all things in spiritual terms, and my life is all the richer for it.

Dr. Mohler has taught me the importance of gender as it relates to the Christian life. Many Christians think about Christianity from a sexless standpoint--that is, every text applies in the same way to all people, regardless of gender. I have learned from Dr. Mohler that gender (sex) is the fundamental reality of life. There is nothing more basic to our earthly existence than gender. Our bodies are determined by it, and, importantly, so are our spiritual lives and daily existences. Dr. Mohler has passed on to me and many others the importance of emphasizing gender and fulfilling the roles given to each sex. He has encouraged me a great deal in the quest each man faces to identify and define his manhood, and has given me ideological and theological markers by which to understand manhood--marriage, the cultivation of a family, the performance of God-glorifying work, meaningful contribution to society in a variety of ways. Many Christians touch on these ideas, but Dr. Mohler has helped me to see that the Bible makes much of such things, and that we should do the same in attempting to fulfill our individual, gender-based discipleship under Christ in the context of a corporate body.

Dr. Mohler has taught me the value of hard work driven by a vision for life and a belief in truth. If you spend much time around him, you know that a wasted moment and Dr. Mohler rarely meet. He has a relentlessness about him, a desire to take intellectual and spiritual dominion over all that he can. This is a biblical desire, even if it can be difficult for Dr. Mohler (and for all of us) to balance at times. Though we all fall short in many ways, I have been profoundly challenged by Dr. Mohler to avoid a passive, weak-willed, lazy existence. When one sees a man working hard and enjoying it, one is driven to do the same thing and to rebel against a culture that glorifies laziness and masculine weakness. Dr. Mohler is a strong man, a man of oak, and I desire to emulate him in living hard and well for the glory of God. He is a courageous man, a man who stands for what he believes, and he has taught me the importance of contending for the faith in a fallen world. Dr. Mohler is not ashamed to speak up for his cause, and he does not shrink back from conflict when it is necessary. He is not in such a hurry to make friends that he compromises the faith, though I also know that he often makes friends of his enemies, though he and they disagree to the point of bitterness. Watching him remain personally warm to those who disagree with him has helped me to see that burning bridges is not a necessary part of contending for truth. I hope for myself and many young men that we will practice this in our own lives.

In the midst of a busy life, Dr. Mohler finds time to show kindness to people. Thus I have learned from him that a Christian, whether a pastor or lawyer or homemaker or farmer, must always prize people. The point of our existence is not to make a name for ourselves. We are to love God and our neighbor. Too often we minimize the first, forget the second, and substitute in a third--"love oneself above all else." I can remember Dr. Mohler calling me from vacation to tell me the day before my wedding that he was proud of me and praying for me. I will remember that for a long time. I learned from that act that even a small gesture has the power to deeply affect another person. There have been other acts of similar kindness, and I will remember them as well. For example, it has been a great encouragement to observe Dr. Mohler handle callers of all abilities and backgrounds on his radio show. He is unfailingly kind to callers, and I have listened many times as he has led a timid caller through the paces and helped them to articulate their thoughts. He does not embarrass his listeners, and he easily could. That means a great deal. More than this, he loves his wife and family a great deal, and I have been impacted by his concern for them. He truly honors and ennobles his wife and clearly holds her in great esteem. It is right that he do so, but many men do not. I want to be a man like this, who strengthens and dignifies those around him, leaving them desirous of honoring him in all situations. Loyalty can be blind, but it can also be won out of a history of godliness and kindness, as it is in my case and many others with Dr. Mohler.

I have picked up a great deal from Dr. Mohler and could write much more about my brief time with him. I could mention, for example, his quick wit, his courtesy to guests, his love for students, his courage, his ability to take a joke and poke fun at himself, and his boyishness. Perhaps there will be a day when I can write more. I hope it will come. Dr. Mohler is not a perfect man, and I have seen his weaknesses as well as his strengths. He can drive himself quite hard, he must balance his accomplishments with the need to be humble, and he can get a bit testy at times. I've seen him scorch an intern a time or two, though, of course, I was never in such a position (ahem). In the end, Dr. Mohler is a man just like anyone else. He is gifted, he is godly, he is a sinner, he is redeemed by the blood of Christ. This last point is, as it is for all Christians, the central fact of his existence. Being around a man of such focus has caused my time at Southern to be one of great learning, change, and growth. I count Dr. Mohler as the chief catalyst in these things. For his kindness, his investment in me, his continual exhortation and instruction, I am thankful to God.

It all wraps up now. My desk is cleared, my goodbyes are said, and I'm just about to begin a new season of life and ministry. I will really miss Donna, Wendy, and Tricia, the office "ladies," the office head, Jason Allen, and my good friends Tyler Wittman, Drew Dixon, and Matt Crawford, a man I respect and trust. I am very sorry to part ways with Greg Gilbert and Matt Hall, my fellow history devotees. I have been blessed to share friendship with these men and have learned a great deal from them both. Greg has been something of an older brother to me and has a great many talents to steward and Matt is a good friend and a future historian of renown. In sum, it is hard to leave work and a work environment that one loves. I have seen firsthand in this job how work that is close to one's heart need not be dreary or dreaded; instead, it may be a source of great blessing, an opportunity to use gifts and share fellowship in the service of Christ and the advancement of His kingdom. I will really miss this office and these people. It has been a sweet season indeed. As I go, I trust that I will honor the friendship of these people, Dr. Mohler's investment in me these last few years, and far more importantly, the Savior who died for His church to save it and bring it into a place of unending worship, where all that one leaves behind is sin, sickness, pain, and the sadness of parting with those one loves.

The Week-est Link, Dec. 28 2008

1. There's a new Death Cab for Cutie album coming out very soon. Follow this link to watch a little video that gives a few details about the record. Death Cab is one of those cutting edge bands who everybody talks about. Sometimes these bands aren't really that good, but Death Cab is quite good, and they make haunting, melancholy music that is well worth your time.

HT: Ethan Meadow

2. Reid Monaghan commented yesterday about my description of science as a "double-sided blade." He questioned whether there is any scientific inquiry that is negative or harmful. I cannot perfectly answer that question, though I can point you to an interesting article that my boss Al Mohler wrote covering this topic. It will provoke thought, and I think it does show that the phenomenon of unbounded scientific inquiry is as morally complex as it is exciting.

3. An insightful profile of billionnaire Paul Allen. I've long heard about Allen, as he owns the Portland Trail Blazers (my friend Aaron Menikoff's team), but I knew little about him. Apparently he's something of a media recluse. The profile is an interesting study of a strange, talented, and ultimately unsatisfied man. It's always profitable to read secular articles from a theological standpoint--you can see biblical themes in most every life story. Allen's seems to be Ecclesiastes.

Have a nice weekend, everyone (and thanks, Rick and Ethan, for the "I Am Legend" info).

The Week-est Link, Dec. 7

1. The strangest--and most hilarious--commercial I've ever seen. Suffice it to say that after you watch this, you will never hear the words "berries and cream" in the same way. Also, go here to discover more of Starburst's excessively strange commercials.

2. This man takes good pictures. My wife and I randomly met him and he took some incredible shots for us for our holiday picture. If you're a seminarian looking for a good wedding photographer, you might look Jason's way.

3. I just graduated from Southern Seminary in Louisville, KY with an MDiv in Biblical and Theological Studies. When it's up, go to the SBTS website and listen to Dr. Al Mohler's excellent commencement address. He spoke on Samuel's call to ministry and related it to our own modern-day call to ministry. In coming days, I will be writing on my experience at Southern, my time with Dr. Mohler, and my thoughts on seminary in general. I hope you'll find it interesting.

4. The New England Center for Expository Preaching has some openings and is always looking for interns and preachers who are interested in the difficult but extremely meaningful calling of ministry in New England. I recently heard a brother (Reid Monaghan who is planting a church in New Jersey) relate some comments of workers in Northeastern campus ministry. They said that that the character of ministerial "soil" on Northeast campuses is "hard as concrete." That is, it's not just hard grass, it's not just solid dirt, it's concrete. Brothers, are you ambitious for the kingdom? Do you have energy, and intelligence, and gospel zeal? Then think about New England and the secular Northeast. Your road, if you go, will be hard, but your reward will be sweet.

Blessings to all, and look in the coming days for some material on my time at SBTS. I've been wanting to write about Southern, and Dr. Mohler, and other things for some time, and I'm ready to do so.